From Arthur Lee

[dateline] March 29th. 1779

[salute] Dear Sir

I receivd your favor by Mr. Blodget and thank you.1 It seems uncertain where or how this will find you, therefore I shall not enclose
the Cypher. When I know where a private hand may find you, I will send it so as to
be secure. A person is nominated to take the place of the great man at Philada. who
will leave it upon his arrival.2 You will probably get thither before him. We have no other local news. The report
from England is, that Count d'Estaign is blockt up in Martinique;3 and that the Royalists have gaind a victory in Georgia. The first I am afraid is
too true; the last as it comes thro N. York, it is to be hopd, is only a repetition
of what we have already heard. Things look ominous—but we must hope the best. Adieu.

2. A reference to Chevalier Anne César de la Luzerne's appointment to replace Conrad
Alexandre Gérard as French minister to the United States. La Luzerne, however, was
apparently not officially ap• { 19 } pointed until 5 April (William Emmett O'Donnell, The Chevalier de la Luzerne, Louvain, 1938, p. 42). JA may not have known to whom Lee was referring until he received Benjamin Franklin's
letter of 24 April (below). Yet Arthur Lee learned in Jan. 1779 that La Luzerne was to replace Gérard,
for in a journal entry for the 24th, he wrote that “a gentleman of rank” had informed
him that Luzerne had been named the new French minister, but “desired me to keep the
information secret, as it was not yet known at Passy” (R. H. Lee, Arthur Lee, 1:407).

La Luzerne, who enjoyed considerable success as minister to the United States, began
his career in the military, but in 1776 accepted appointment to the Bavarian Court,
where he remained until mid-1778, spending his last months deeply involved in the
controversy over the Bavarian succession. Taking up his duties in America in Sept.
1779, he served until June 1784. In 1788 he was appointed ambassador to Great Britain,
serving there until his death in 1791 (O'Donnell, Chevalier de la Luzerne, p. 40–42; Hoefer, Nouv. biog. générale; Repertorium der diplomatischen Vertreter aller Länder, p. 110, 144, 118). For JA's sketch of La Luzerne, see his letter to the president of the congress, 3 Aug. (below).

3. For such a report, see the London Chronicle, 25–27 March. After the loss of St. Lucia at the end of Dec. 1778, Estaing went to
Martinique to refit and await reinforcements from France. There was little naval action
in the West Indies until June, when the French launched an attack on St. Vincent,
and no major fleet action until the encounter between Admirals Byron and Estaing off
Grenada in July (Mahan, Navies in the War of Amer. Independence, p. 104–106).

Docno: ADMS-06-08-02-0017

Author: Adams, John

Recipient: Franklin, Benjamin

Date: 1779-03-31

To Benjamin Franklin

[dateline] [Brest] Harbour March 31. 1[779]

When I arrived at [this place?] I found nothing done. Mr. Costentin, it is said waited for orders. And the officers
of the Port, expected orders. But Since my Arrival, as Mr. Schweighauser wrote to
Mr. Costentin to take my Advice, he readily engaged in the Business, and the officers
of the Port have afforded Us every facility, consistent with the Kings service.

Mr. Costentin and Captain Landais, I find are both very attentive to Articles of Expence,
and do their Utmost to save. The Captain, in this View, has determined neither to
sheath his ship in Copper, nor to lay her down to clean, but has applied for proper
Instruments to hog her,1 as their Phrase is, and this operation is now finished so that her Bottom is at present
very well cleaned. The Main Top Mast and rigging, is also preparing, the Water will
be got on board as soon as possible, and I hope We shall be ready to go from this
Port in Six or Eight Days.

But there are still a Thousand Difficulties, on board the ship, and every Body is
discontented, except the Captain who is as cool a Man as ever I saw.

I have had Petitions to me, from all the Crew, and personal Applications from most
of the Officers. Little Misunderstandings have arisen on Account of the Purser, who
is thought to keep the officers to too strict Allowance. But upon the whole I fancy,
that Peace may be { 20 } made and tolerable Content [ . . . ] allowing to the officers and Men a small Gratification in Money.

I have the Honour to inclose a List of the petit officers on Board, who are judged
by Mr. Schweighauser and Mr. Costentin to be excluded, by your Excellencys order,
from the Benefit of Cloathing which is granted to the Commission and Warrant officers.
This is such a Grievance, or at least is considered so, that I cannot avoid interceeding,
most earnestly with your Excellency in their Behalf, and intreating that your orders
may be given, on this Head, as soon as possible.

Another Thing, I cannot avoid requesting, because, I think the service will be much
promoted by it, and without it, I know not what may be the Consequence. It is that
Mr. Schweighauser, may be ordered to Allow, a small sum of Money to officers and Men,
at least to such as the Captain who I am sure is a prudent and frugal Man shall point
out.

The Captains Parcimony in other Things will render this less difficult, and the Badness
of the Pay, and the little Prospect of Prizes, considering the weak state of the ship
in Men, render it an Act of Humanity, of Justice and indeed of Necessity. Many have
families at home, and a little sum of Money well laid out here, in Articles of Cloathing,
would be a vast Encouragement.

The Punctuality with which [ . . . ] as well as the Agent at Nantes and Brest, insist [ . . . ] explicit orders for every Thing, make it necessary, that I should request of your
Excellency an order to Captain Landais, to give me a Passage in the ship and to <Mr> the Agent to furnish me with sea stores. <Mr. Schwe> They have all been very complaisant but I see they want, orders.

The Number of Men on Board the ship are not half enough to fight her. If the Prisoners
should arrive from England I hope that Captain Landais will be permitted to recruit
out of them. I like Captain Jones very well, but I cannot but hope that he will not
have all those Men. Landais is very averse, to taking french or English sailors, for
my own Part I wish he had an hundred of each, and We would find a Way to suppress
Conspiracies. But He is afraid of Complaints of Partiality to his Countrymen, and
of the Treachery, of Britons.

[salute] I have the Honour to be sir, your most o[bedient humble servant]